WEBVTT
I: IT REALLY IS.
I SPOKE WITH THE MOTHER.
WE'LL GET TO THAT IN JUST A
MOMENT.
ERIKA AND EVA HAVE BEEN
RECOVERING IN SEPARATE BEDS IN
THE SAME ROOM BUT COULDN'T SEE
EACH OTHER THEIR FIRST WEEK
APART IS A HUGE ADJUSTMENT FOR
TWIN GIRLS WHO'VE SPENT THEIR
ENTIRE LIVES CONNECTED BY THE
LOWER TORSO
.
THE 2-YEAR-OLD TWINS ARE
RECOVERING AT THE PEDIATRIC ICU
AND ON MONDAY, THE FOR THE FIRST
TIME, -- AND FOR THE FIRST
TIME
AIDA SANDOVAL PICKED UP HER
, DAUGHTER ERIKA TO SPEND 20
MINUTES WITH HER SISTER EVA,
WITH THEIR FATHER ARTURO, THE
CLOSEST THEY HAVE BEEN TOGETHER
SINCE UNDERGOING SEPARATION ON
DECEMBER 6.
THE GIRLS WERE SEPARATED BY THE
PELVIS, LIVER AND DIGESTIVE
TRACT, BUT ARE STILL SHARING THE
SAME TASTE IN TOYS EVA GRABBING
HER SISTER'S TOY TRAIN
.
LUCILE PACKARD CHILDREN'S
HOSPITAL TELLING US THE TWINS
ARE RECOVERING WELL WITH N
COMPLICATIONS.
AN INITIAL CONCERN WAS ERIKA AND
EVA WOULD SUFFER RESPIRATORY
PROBLEMS BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO
, REPORT BOTH GIRLS ARE
BREATHING ON THEIR OWN.
THE MEDICAL TEAM IS MAKING SURE
EVA AND ERIKA'S WOUNDS ARE
HEALING WELL, AND THE TODDLERS
ARE IN AS LITTLE PAIN AS
POSSIBLE.
AND I DID SPEAK TO AIDA THIS
AFTERNOON AND SHE SAYS SHE STILL
FEELS LIKE SHE IS DREAMING.
AND THE FIRST TIME SHE PICKED
ERIKA UP FOR THE FIRST TIME SHE
WAS SHAKING WITH EXCITEMENT.
LISA: THEY HAVE BEEN TOGETHER
AND TO BE SEPARATED FOR EVEN
SEVEN DAYS, WHAT WAS THAT LIKE?
VICKI: THE SURGEON TALKED ABOUT
THAT.
THERE WILL BE SEPARATION ANXIETY
AS THEY ADJUST TO THIS NEW LIFE,
BUT AS WE COULD SEE, THEY ARE
SMILING AND FIGHTING OVER THEIR
TOYS AS WE WOULD EXPECT FROM
TODDLERS.

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"It was such a thrill for us to see the girls next to one another again," the twins' mother, Aida Sandoval, said.

Aida and Art Sandoval carefully moved Erika over onto Eva's bed to say hello and watched their little daughters side-by-side.

Both girls are awake and breathing without ventilators, and they even shared a toy with during their first time back together.

The medical team is monitoring them to make sure the twins receive appropriate medication and that their wounds are healing well. They are expected to continue their recovery at the hospital for about another week before preparing to move out of the intensive care unit, hospital officials said.

"Day by day, they're getting better," said Dr. Alison Chang, who is caring for Eva. "They're happier and more playful and interactive with the family."

A team of about 50 physicians, nurses and operating room staff helped during the Dec. 6 procedure.

Erika and Eva, who were born on Aug. 10, 2014, weighed just 5 pounds, 5 ounces and shared a pelvis, a digestive system and a fused liver. The pair had just one bladder, three legs and two healthy kidneys.